The other night the TV was on and I wanted to watch a movie with the boy. He’s 12, so I guess that makes him a tween, which also puts him in that age range of what-should-he-be-allowed-to-watch? After watching Finding Dory, I don’t know how much more insulting and reductive I have to be, as a parent, by showing him a blue fish movie, rather than something that might resonate with him.
I know. I get it. It’s a cute movie about a blue fish, her old buddies, and some new folks along the way. But, unless you are really clever and can remember more than three or four interesting scenes, there isn’t much to follow up with. It looks good. It’s Pixar. It also has grossed almost 500 million dollars domestic, making it the number 8 movie (in that category) of all time.
The number 8 movie of all time, joining the ranks of all the other movies geared at kids–Star Wars (in its many forms), Avatar, Titanic, Marvel Movies. I understand the entertainment value of all of them, but, once again, Finding Dory is number 8 out of all movies ever made, and even though ticket prices are higher now and affect its ranking, many people saw it and said enough about it to make others see it, and so on. Moana, which came out recently, only made around 250 million, not even cracking the top 100.
No more. This is not what I want my kid seeing. Short-term memory loss is not a fun deal, as I saw it in my mother and my wife’s father. You don’t suddenly snap out of it, like Dory seems to at the end. A scared octopus is not that interesting. We understand that Dory can’t remember things because her blue self says it every other minute. Or Marlon (Marlin?) does. Crazy birds? Yawn. Sea lions? They were funny for their three or four minutes.
Despite what I have written, there’s nothing to talk about when it comes to blue fish and clown fish. You don’t leave the movie with any questions. It’s all spelled out for you. Though it’s never interesting or never builds tension, it is safe and easy.
Must I continue? That’s the metaphor–too many things in this world is too safe and easy, and it shows in the work ethic of students.
I will watch most any movie or show with my son. I will take him to see The Buzzcocks, Built to Spill, Blitzen Trapper, Luna, and The Brian Jonestown Massacre, even if he is (as he has been) the only kid there. We will watch Captain Fantastic, which shows a man’s penis and has cuss words, because it gives us something to talk about and learn from. We will watch Ash v. Evil Dead because it’s ridiculous and fun. Same with Westworld or anything else that is interesting. And, if he has questions, I will answer him. Truthfully.
Once again, the metaphor. I can’t expose my students to everything, and some of the stuff we do is too safe and easy. Is there a balance between the two? I try to find it daily, but sometimes it’s hiding like that stupid octupus in that stupid movie.https://youtu.be/0PyecG4Tt2k